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Despite Wenger having officially left the club a few weeks ago, rumours surrounding who will replace him have been swirling for months.

There were plenty of names in the mix: legendary former players like Patrick Viera and Thierry Henry; big-name managers like Carlo Ancelotti and Max Allegri; and young coaches, like Mikel Arteta, unproven in managerial roles.

According to odds from Betfair, Arteta had emerged as the comfortable favourite, overtaking the likes Allegri and Thomas Tuchel, who previously led the betting.

However, former PSG manager Emery jumped into contention after an apparent change of heart from Arsenal over the appointment of Arteta. The chart below shows how the race unfolded.

The men who missed out

Mikel Arteta

Pros:The emotional bond fans felt towards Wenger could be maintained with the appointment of a former player, with supporters rooting for 'one of their own'. Not many players are offered jobs by Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino and Arsenal as soon as they retire so Arteta is obviously a smart cookie. Will have learnt so much in two years under Guardiola and potentially has a very a high ceiling. A club man who will defer to the new structure and hierarchy.

Cons:No managerial experience. Arteta has also played alongside several members of Arsenal's squad - how will that affect his ability to make ruthless and difficult decisions? Possible that fans will have little patience with a rookie.

Brendan Rodgers

Pros:Coaches attractive and progressive football, and has an impressive history of developing young attackers. Led Liverpool to within touching distance of their first title since 1990, and has done all that could be asked of him (and a bit more) at Celtic.

Cons: The teeth, the tan, the catchphrases. Arsenal became a running joke in the late-Wenger years, and Rodgers also lends himself to parody. Would be deeply unpopular with the fans, something likely to count against him. His Liverpool side were also beset by defensive weaknesses, the very area Arsenal urgently need improvement.

Massimiliano Allegri

Pros: A proven track record at the highest level of European football, Allegri has guided to Juventus to successive Serie A titles and two Champions League finals. Like Wenger, is a highly respected figure within football who would be a classy public face for the club. Already has experience of succeeding as a much-loved manager (Antonio Conte) and won over the Juve fans who were unhappy with his appointment. Would bring a more pragmatic approach to Arsenal's football.

Cons:Liverpool and Spurs have bettered Arsenal in the past two seasons with coaches who have a clear playing identity or 'philosophy'. Allegri is not quite like that.

The Italian said "You think tackling, passing & running wins in football. Footballing discussions in Italy is all about tactics and theory, you’re ruining the game. You don’t look at players or skills, but only formations. This is what damages our football."

His tactical flexibility is a virtue, but there is a school of thought it is best served fine-tuning elite teams. Arsenal are more of a project at present.

Carlo Ancelotti

Pros: A safe pair of hands who could steer Arsenal through what some believe could be a difficult transition. Essentially, he would ensure the club avoid a 'Moyes' situation. Has managed in England before, winning the double with Chelsea in 2010. A friendly and avuncular figure who the fans would warm too.

Cons: Too similar to Wenger in his methods. Arsenal watchers have long felt their players suffer due to a lack of prescriptive coaching, with Wenger leaving them to find their own solutions. Ancelotti is also more of a manager than a coach, and a laissez-faire approach could result in more of the same.

Luis Enrique

Pros:Has a crystal clear idea of how he wants football to be played, and won the treble at Barcelona. Enrique has a working relationship with Sanllehi, and unlike other names on this list has experience of managing a big European club.

Cons:A disastrous spell at Roma is a black mark on his CV, and reports suggest he will make huge financial demands both contractually and in the transfer market. Enrique can also be a spiky and abrasive character who had frequent run-ins with the press at Barcelona. While Wenger was no stranger to the odd moan, he was also a master of charm in press conferences. Moreover, while it would be ridiculous to say managing Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar is 'easy', it does make his work at the Nou Camp difficult to assess.

Julian Nagelsmann

Pros: A possible dark horse who ticks plenty of Arsenal's boxes. Was appointed Hoffenheim head coach at the age of 28 in 2015, leading them away from relegation trouble in his first season and qualifying for the Champions League in his second. Coaches a dynamic, energetic style based on fast recoveries of possession and looks a huge prospect. Would fit into Arsenal's structure seamlessly, and is another networked German.

Cons: The move might be two or three years too soon for him. Nagelsmann might be better off developing elsewhere.

Zeljko Buvac

Pros: Known as 'The Brain', Buvac is a highly-regarded coach with an intimate knowledge of Arsenal and the Premier League working as Jurgen Klopp's No.2 at Liverpool. Buvac would not demand a transfer warchest - his priority would be getting Arsenal training methods up to speed and extracting the most out of a talented, if unbalanced, squad. Would bring ideas and necessary organisation to Arsenal's play.

Cons: Has not managed since 2001, does not speak English and has never dealt with media commitments. It seems slightly strange that a 57-year-old has not gone it alone before if he really had managerial ambitions. A significant section of the fanbase would greet him with scepticism.

Eddie Howe

Pros:See Rodgers. There is no faulting his work at Bournemouth, and Arsenal just might be attracted to the idea of swimming against the stream and appointing an English manager.

Cons: It would feel a bit 'Moyes-ey'. A spell at Burnley did not quite work out for Howe, raising suspicions he might be uniquely suited to Bournemouth. No big club experience. Like Rodgers, his teams also leak cheap goals.

Leonardo Jardim

Pros: Some of the brightest talents in European football have passed through Jardim's hands at Monaco, and he stitched them together in a stylish team that won Ligue 1 and reached the Champions League semi-finals last season. Is used to working at a club that cuts its cloth accordingly in the transfer market, selling their best players for huge fees and reinvesting in the squad. Arsenal will not plan on losing players at the frequency of Monaco, but they also have to be realistic about their place in the financial pecking order. Only 43 years old, too.

Cons:Far from a compelling personality, Arsenal might want more from their figurehead. Will Arsenal's scouting be as fruitful as Monaco's?

Could Patrick Vieira be the man to succeed Arsene Wenger?Credit:
AP

Joachim Löw

Pros:He's a world champion, and has also built a successful team around Mesut Özil. With Per Mertesacker as head of the academy and Arsenal's recent purchases from the Bundesliga, there are obvious connections. Tactically fluid.

Cons: Löw has not managed at club level since he left Austria Vienna in 2004, and the demands of a top club job are very different to guiding a team through a summer tournament.

Patrick Viera

Pros: See Arteta, but with the added advantage of managing a team of his own (New York City in the MLS). A club legend who could galvanise the fan-base, and who will have the instant respect of the players.

Cons: His abilities as a coach are very difficult to ascertain. While Vieira's ability as a player is undisputed, he also had a difficult relationship with the club during summer sagas that saw him push for a move, particularly when Real Madrid came calling. Would he do the same as a manager?